We check in with people at each stage of the cash transfer process to see how things are going. Take a look at some of their stories as they appear here in real-time.
Learn more about how recipients opt in to share their stories.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($462 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I have many plans but I have no capital. I am planning to buy a large water tank to solve water scarcity issues.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly does well to give us money directly. For example, in my village, every household in our village has an Iron roofed house. Additionally, some bought dairy cows because it's the main source of livelihood in our place.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a mother of 7 and I have done milk vending for the past 12 years. On a day, I sell up to 30 liters and get I make a KES 10 profit for each liter. This has helped in school fees payment, purchase of farm inputs, and food over the years. Additionally, I do small-scale farming of maize, beans, and pumpkin which I normally sell when the harvest is good.
Recently, when GiveDirectly transfers came my major issue was school fees arrears for my son in college. I, therefore, send KES 25,000 to my son who used it to pay for exam fees, accommodation, and household expenses.
Additionally, I spent KES 5,000 on food and household utensils. The rest I have saved for school fees payment come next school term.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($484 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was with great happiness when I received the first transfer from GiveDirectly. With the struggles we had been undergoing on raising school fees from the few liters of milk from my dairy cow that would sometimes dry up, receiving such a lump sum of money was a great support to me. we had been. I was with my husband when I received the message and after confirming, we had to plan on withdrawing since we needed to pay the school fees for our three children currently in different colleges.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The complete payment of school fees for my elder son is the biggest difference in my daily life after receiving the first transfer. I had been struggling a lot to raise all my children's school fees alongside meeting other financial obligations in the household. I am glad that the money I received made it easier now and even in the future since it gave me a grace period of raising more savings that will be useful once a new semester starts.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Clearing school fees for my son that came as a priority was the best thing to have happened to me after receiving my first transfer. I have three children in school at the moment - two at the university level and the younger one yet to join a medical school. I am glad that I managed to clear a semester's fee of KES 35000 for my son with the first transfer as that was the most pressing one with a huge sum of money to be paid. I also had to renovate the current house by applying new pains on the interior walls that cost KES7000 and spent the remaining amount on buying foodstuff right from the Christmas period over the December festivities to date since we are still using the small remaining amount on buying foodstuff. It was a year with a difference in that we ended the year with a celebratory mood.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My last born completed secondary education early this year and attained a mean grade of B plain. My worry has been how to meet his school fees requirements and accommodation after he secured a place at Kenya Medical College. Payment of school fees has been a challenge to us because we depend on the sale of bricks we make daily. These bricks earn me an average of KES 8000 a month and compared to the KES 80000 required for his admission in January next year it is difficult to save this much. Therefore with these transfers my worries are over because I will use KES 80000 to pay the fee and my savings to meet his other needs.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The performance of my son in his secondary school level gives me joy. He attained a mean grade of B plain which surpassed my expectation .This gives me happiness because my hard work of paying his school fees bore good fruits.Also, my worries are over because of the assurance of a better tomorrow and a bright future for him since he will be a doctor.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Food insecurity and fee payment are the challenges we are currently facing.Prolonged drought has hit our area affecting our income generation.Farming which is our main source of livelihood has greatly been affected by droughts resulting in low or poor yields hence low incomes.With my family of 9 , it has been a challenge catering for daily food requirements as well as paying fees for my children.
